(Eʹthan) [Enduring; Everflowing].

1. One of four men whose wisdom, though great, was exceeded by Solomon’s. (1Ki 4:31) This Ethan may be the writer of Psalm 89, for the superscription identifies Ethan the Ezrahite as its writer. In 1 Chronicles 2:6, Ethan, Heman, Calcol, and Dara are all spoken of as sons of Zerah of the tribe of Judah and possibly are the same as the men mentioned in First Kings. Ethan is referred to as the father of Azariah.​—1Ch 2:8; see EZRAHITE.

2. The father of Adaiah and the son of Zimmah, a Levite of the family of Gershom.​—1Ch 6:41-43.

3. A son of Kishi (1Ch 6:44) or Kushaiah (1Ch 15:17), a Levite of the family of Merari. Ethan was a singer and a cymbalist. (1Ch 15:19) Because of his close association with Heman it has been suggested that Ethan is the Jeduthun who was appointed by David to serve before the tabernacle at Gibeon and that his name was changed from Ethan to Jeduthun after his appointment. (Compare 1Ch 15:17, 19 with 1Ch 16:39-41 and 25:1.)​—See JEDUTHUN No. 1.